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IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 24, 2013 CONTACTS: ACLU/SC, Vicki Fox, vfox@aclu-sc.org 213.977.5227 NDLON, Chris Newman, newman@ndlon.org, 213.380.2785 ICE Lifts Immigration Hold on U.S. Citizen Gerardo Gonzalez Demonstrates ICEs lack of probable cause to believe a person is deportable before requesting their detention

Just hours after U.S. citizen Gerardo Gonzalez filed suit on June 19, ICE lifted its erroneous immigration hold on him. The Los Angeles born Mr. Gonzalez, represented by the ACLU of Southern California (ACLU/SC), the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and the law firm Kaye, McLane, Bednarski & Litt, demanded that ICE lift the erroneous hold, which was preventing his release from criminal custody, and that the ICE Los Angeles Field Office stop issuing immigration holds without probable cause to believe a person is deportable. We are pleased that the unconstitutional hold on Mr. Gonzalez was lifted, said ACLU/SC staff attorney Jennie Pasquarella. However, ICEs placement of a hold on an American citizen only demonstrates its continued failure to adequately investigate whether a person is actually deportable before incarcerating them. In 2012, the ICE Los Angeles Field Office issued 36,450 immigration holds to jails and police stations throughout Southern California. ICEs recognition that it incorrectly placed a hold on Mr. Gonzalez only further reflects the need for the systemic reform he seeks through this lawsuit, said NDLON staff attorney Jessica Karp. It should not be the case that only those fortunate enough to file a lawsuit can challenge these holds. Thousands of others sit in jails across the country on erroneous immigration holds without recourse to challenge them. ###